Abram pelham



d l.) A.. PELHAML PNEUMATIC DENTAL PLUGGER. No. 566220. Patented Aug.18, 1896.

llrurnn STATES f ATENT Fries.

ABRAM PELHAM, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROSWELL L.ROOT, OF SAME PLACE.

PNEUMATIC DENTAL PLUGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,220, dated August18, 189 6 Applie ation filed March 9, 1 8 9 6 T 0 coZZ whom it mayconcern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAM PELHAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Plymouth, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Pneumatic Pluggerfor Dental WVork; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a pneumatic plugger for dental work; and itconsists of the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter setforth, and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The particular kind of instrument to which this invention relatesconsists in a hollow cylindrical handle or body provided with a suitablechuck for holding the tool, by means of which the filling of a tooth issolidified or compact within the cavity, the cylindrical handle of theinstrument having a plunger therein which is caused to travel back andforth in said cylinder by means of an alternatin g air current connectedtherewith, causing said plunger to reciprocate rapidly and imparting theimpact of its blow through the end of the tool to the filling in thecavity of the tooth against which the tool is held. The objection to theordinary instrument of this character is that immediately thealternating air-current is started the reciprocal plunger begins theoperation of striking before the tool can be placed in position upon thefilling where it is desired to deliver a blow. The vibration of theplunger renders it difficult for the operator to place the toolcarefully in position, and the continual pounding of the plunger isannoying to the patient and conduces generally to unsatisfactoryresults. Besides, there are times when it is desirable to place thepoint of the tool upon the filling without striking a blow, to betterplace the filling in position; but with the continual vibration of theplunger this cannot be done. To overcome these objections and to provide a pn eumatic plugger of such construc- Serial No. 582,378. (No modelfition as to place the reciprocal plunger at all times under the controlof the operator, so as to cause said plunger to operate only whendesired, is the object of this invention, which object is attained bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure1 is a general View of my improved device, showing its connection withan airpump, which may be of any suitable construction. Fig. 2 is anenlarged longitudinal section through the cylinder and exterior housing,the plunger in said cylinder appearing in elevation. Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan view of Fig. 2.

' Referring to the letters of reference, A designates a cylinder havingat its outer end a suitable chuck B, in which the tool 0 is secured.Communicating with the opposite end of the cylinder is a tube 1), towhich an air-hose 01 may be attached and which in turn communicates withan air-pump D of any suitable construction and adapted to run at a highrate of speed.

Located within the cylinder, and filling closely the diameter thereof,is a solid plunger E, which is adapted to reciprocate longitudinally ofthe cylinder when actuated by the alternating air-current.

Mounted upon the exterior of the cylinder is a housing F, whichcommunicates with said cylinder only through an aperture a, formed inthe wall of the cylinder near the upper end thereof, said housing beingclosed except at its lower end, where a vent-aperture c is located,which passes through a boss G, formed in the wall of said housing.

Formed in the lower end of the cylinder A are aseries of vent-aperturese, through. which the air is alternately drawn and expelled as saidplunger is caused to reciprocate. The lower end of the plunger E isrounded, so that when lying at the bottom of the cylinder it does notclose the air-vents c.

ith the arrangement of parts as shown an operation of the pump D willcause an al ternatin g air-current to pass through the airhose d, which,being connected with the cylinder A, will cause a reciprocal air-currentto pass into and out of the cylinder through the opening a and throughthe vent-opening c of the housing F. These openings being of large areaprovide a free passage for the air which is driven from the pump by thedownward stroke of the piston and afford ample passage for the returncurrent of air, which passes backward through said openings to supplythe vacuum caused by the upward stroke of said piston. Therefore, whilethe vent-openingc remains open, the operation of the pump does not movethe plunger E within the cylinder, but immediately said vent-opening isclosed the escape of air is cut off, so that the infiowing air-currentwill impinge upon said plunger and force it downward in the cylinder, sothat it will strike with force upon the lower end thereof, imparting theimpact of the blow to the filling of the tooth through the tool 0. Areverse of the air-current will exhaust the air from said cylinder,causing the pressure of the air upon the lower end of the plunger,whichenters the cylinder through the small openings 6, to drive said plungerto the upper end of the cylinder, when a reverse current of air willagain force said plunger downward, striking another blow upon the tool0, and so the plunger is caused to reciprocate by the action of thepump, which reciprocation may be made as rapid as desired.

WVhen in the use of the instrument it is desired to cease striking for atime, the vent c is opened, which permits the air to pass to and fromthe pump through said opening and the opening (t, the plunger Eremaining stationary.

The vent-opening c is controlled by the finger of the operator and islocated at such a point on the instrument as to enable the finger of theoperator to be placed over or removed from said opening at will withoutchanging the position of the hand, so that the tool may be used to placethe filling in position in the cavity of the tooth, and when properlyarranged it may be solidified therein through the operation of theplunger by closing the vent c, and at any time during the operation offilling the tooth the blows of the plunger may be caused to cease bysimply raising the finger from the vent-opening 0, making a plugger ofuniversal utility and one by means of which a tooth may be quickly andperfectly filled.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pneumatic plugger, the combination of the cylinder carrying atone end the plugging or filling tool, and connected at the other endwith an air-pump for creating an alternating current of air, the plungerin said cylinder, said cylinder having a vent-opening at its lower endbelow the end of said plunger, and a larger vent-opening at its upperend adapted to be closed by the hand of the operator.

2. In a pneumatic plugger, the combination of the cylinder, the toolattached thereto, said cylinder communicating with a pump for supplyingan alternating air-current, and having a vent-opening at the lower endthereof, and

a larger vent-opening at the upper end thereof, the housing embracingsaid opening in the upper end of the cylinder, said housing being closedand having a vent-opening only at its lower end, and the reciprocalplunger within said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAM PELHAM. lVitnesses:

H. W. BAKER, F. B. PARK.

